• Home
  • Common Issues
    • Mood
      • Depression
      • Anxiety
      • Panic
      • Social Anxiety
    • Relationships
      • Couples Counseling
      • Physical Intimacy Issues
      • Finding the Right Relationship
      • Family Issues
    • Coaching
      • Career
      • Life Coaching
      • Weight Management & Fitness Coaching
    • Other
      • Medicare and Senior Issues
      • Child and Adolescent
      • Christian Counseling
      • Chronic Pain and Medical Issues
      • Medication Evaluation and Management
  • About Therapy
    • Session Formats
      • Individuals
      • Couples
      • Kids and Teens
      • Families
      • Canine Counseling
    • Therapy Styles
      • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
      • Family Systems (Psychodynamic)
      • Christian Counseling
      • Meditation and Mindfulness Training
      • Hypnosis Therapy Technique
    • FAQs
      • What is the difference between a psychologist and a counselor?
      • What is your confidentiality policy?
      • Does therapy really work?
      • How long will I need to be in therapy?
      • How often should I come?
      • How can I measure my progress in therapy?
      • What if I don’t share the same belief system or life circumstances as my therapist?
      • Can I use my insurance?
  • Inspiration
    • Articles
      • Blog
        • Practicing Vulnerability in Your Relationships

        • Using Distraction as an Avoidance of Emotion

        • Tips for Managing Daily Activities while Struggling with Depression

        • Friendships: How to manage your boundaries and enjoy them more!

        • Recognizing Burnout and the Importance of Work-Life Balance

    • Quotes
      • InstagramInstagram has returned invalid data.
    • Videos
      • Videos
        • Understanding Guilt and How It Works

        • Sexual Dissatisfaction

  • Checklist
    • Adult ADHD Self-Evaluation
    • Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Bipolarism Self-Evaluation
    • Depression Self-Evaluation
    • Panic Attack Self-Evaluation
    • Relationship Health Self-Evaluation
    • Social Anxiety Self-Evaluation
    • Sexual Dysfunction Self-Evaluation
  • About Us
    • Whole Life Philosophy
    • Staff
      • Heather Robbins, Ph.D., LP
      • James Robbins, MA., LPC
      • Leslie Scott, MS, LPC
      • Steve Reedy, MA, LPC, RMT, NMT
      • Breanna Katz-Estrada, MSW, LCSW
      • Emily McGlothlin, MS, LPC
      • Jon Johnston, MA, LPC
      • Kelly Kay Wynn, MS, MSW, LCSW
      • Marilyn Powell, Ph.D.
      • Diane Williams, MSW, LCSW
    • News
    • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Rates
    • Insurance
      • Fees & Insurance
      • Medicare Part B
      • Blue Cross and Blue Shield
    • Location
    • Appointments
      • Schedule a Consultation
      • Scheduling Hours
      • Scheduling Policy
  • Social & Contact
    ‪(972) 755-0996

Dallas Whole Life Counseling

Licensed Psychologist and Therapists

Top 10 psychologists in Dallas, TX 2016 Top Counseling & Mental Health in Dallas

Schedule a Consult

Making Your New Year’s Resolutions Work

January 16, 2015 by James Robbins, M.A., LPC

Jan 16, 2015
So here were are mid-January, 2015. How are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? I don’t have to tell you that resolutions fail more often than not, and many Americans have likely already given up after a couple of weeks of best intentions.

Here are some tips to help keep your New Year on track:

Specificity

New Years Resolution - Working OutBreak your bigger goals down into manageable, practical steps. Don’t just say I want to lose 10 pounds this year. Say I will to go the gym three times weekly until I’ve lost 10 pounds. Don’t just say I want to communicate better with my spouse in 2015. Say I will go on one date night weekly with my spouse, even when we have to rearrange our schedules to do so.

 

Immediate Action

Daily PlannerPostponing your goals won’t work. Harness the energy of a new year and take some decisive action toward your goal within the next 24 hours. Worry less about eventually meeting your goal sometime in the future, and focus more on genuinely pursuing your goal in the Here and Now. If you want to improve your fitness this year, call RIGHT NOW and make an appointment with a personal trainer. If you want to achieve a better work/home balance this year, get online and research vacations TODAY. Take some concrete action, however small, that nudges you a little closer to your goal.

 

Troubleshooting

What do you do if, after your best attempts, you’re simply not making any headway toward your goal? Don’t bother with self-judgments like “I’m too lazy” or “I’m too ADD” or whatever. These don’t address the obstacle. Instead, troubleshoot by asking yourself three questions: Happy Woman | New Years Resolution

  • If you could push a magic button and immediately realize your goals today, how would your life change? If you lost those ten pounds, what then? How would you feel differently from day to day? Who would be most likely to notice this change in you?
  • Is there something about the above consequences, the results of accomplishing your goal, that is threatening to you? If you lose 10 pounds will you get more attention, some of it unwanted, from the opposite sex? If you get that big promotion will you co-workers resent you? If you finally set healthy boundaries with your family will they feel insulted? When it comes to realizing our goals, fear is a formidable obstacle.
  • Once you’ve identified self-limits imposed by fear, try to see these limits at work in your life from day to day. Competition with your peers, the opinions of your friends and family, outdated core beliefs–notice how these things tend to feed your fears. Simply shining the light of awareness on these fears begins to loosen them, to take away their power.

 

Remember: Situations and circumstances don’t ultimately hold you back. You do. Change you, and your life will follow.

Filed Under: Blog, Education, Newsletter Tagged With: awareness, beliefs, boundaries, change, date night, energy, fear, fitness, goals, healthy boundaries, judgment, life balance, limites, lose weight, new year, new years resolutions, obstacles, power, resolutions, self-awareness, self-judgement

About James Robbins, M.A., LPC

James Robbins is a licensed professional counselor, published author and co-owner of Dallas Whole Life Counseling. He has over 15 years of experience helping people in various life stages that come from a wide variety of cultural, economic and family backgrounds. Learn more about his background by clicking here.

Search the Site

Latest Blog Posts

  • Practicing Vulnerability in Your Relationships
  • What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
  • Using Distraction as an Avoidance of Emotion
  • Tips for Managing Daily Activities while Struggling with Depression
  • Friendships: How to manage your boundaries and enjoy them more!

Contact Us

Admin Offices
Dallas Galleria Tower One
13355 Noel Road
Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75240

Virtual Sessions
Licensed phone and video sessions are available throughout Texas by appointment.

Phone & Email
‪(972) 755-0996‬
contact@dallaswholelife.com

Office Hours
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Common Issues

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Couples Counseling
  • Physical Intimacy Issues
  • Panic
  • Senior Issues
  • Child & Adolescent
  • Christian Counseling
  • Career Coaching
  • Life Coaching
  • Social Anxiety
  • EMDR
  • Family Issues
  • Grief Counseling
  • Weight & Fitness
  • Eating Disorders
  • Chronic Pain
  • Medical Issues

Office Hours

Main Office: (972) 755-0996
Mondays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Thursdays: 9:00AM – 8:00 PM
Fridays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00AM – 5:00 PM
Sundays: Closed

Location

Dallas Galleria Tower One
13355 Noel Road, Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75240
*Licensed phone and video sessions available in Texas.

Follow Us

Contact Us

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Dallas Whole Life Counseling | 6380 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy., Suite 299 | Dallas, TX 75240 | (972) 755-0996Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved. Website by Rokkit Marketing.